The present invention relates to: (1) a page-turning device, e.g., for a passbook updating machine or an automatic teller machine, that can easily cope with the individual widths of variable-width, multi-leaved media, such as passbooks so that the turning of the pages of such media can be performed precisely; (2) to a printer, e.g., for such a passbook; and (3) to a method for adjusting a setting for such a page-turning device.
As is well known, passbook updating machines and automatic teller machines (so-called ATMs), which are installed in financial facilities, must handle passbooks having a plurality of pages (one example of what shall be referred to herein as multi-leaved media). By the term xe2x80x9cpassbookxe2x80x9d as used herein is meant to include a multi-page, commonly bound (e.g., along a spine) book or the like (such as a bank passbook) wherein the individual pages must be turned over to expose information on the next, succeeding page. In practice, a user of one of these devices opens his or her passbook to the latest (or multi-page) printed page, and inserts the passbook into the automated teller machine, or into the passbook updating machine, so that it can be updated in accordance with the current transaction (or so that previously acquired magnetic information can be recorded, as needed). When the printing on the page that is thus exposed extends up to the end of the last line, or when the last line of the page of the passbook that was inserted has already been printed, a page-turning device automatically turns the page of the passbook and exposes the next page.
An example of a page-turning device such as mentioned above is shown in FIG. 10. The page-turning device in FIG. 10 includes two rollers, 1L and 1R. These rollers 1L and 1R are integrally formed with a roller shaft 2, so that these rollers are rotated as a motor (not shown) rotates the roller shaft 2 via a drive belt 3. Further, both ends of roller shaft 2 are supported by a support shaft 5, via arms 4L and 4R. Arms 4L and 4R are pivoted at the support shaft 5, rollers 1L and 1R are shifted between a position of contact with the surface of a page of a passbook, and a position where no contact occurs (the rollers being separated from the surface of the page). Springs 6L and 6R respectively engage the bases of arms 4L and 4R, while also engaging a bracket 7 that is secured to the main body of the print mechanism (not shown). Pins 8, which are used to provide support for support shaft 5, are fitted into arms 4L and 4R, but when support shaft 5 is rotated, in the direction indicated by (a) in FIG. 10, a distance equivalent to a predetermined angle, pins 8 are disengaged from arms 4L and 4R.
For a page of a passbook to be turned by the page-turning device in FIG. 10, while the passbook (in phantom) is held stationary, support shaft 5 is rotated, by the motor (not shown), a distance equivalent to a predetermined angle, and pins 8 are disengaged from arms 4L and 4R. Then, arms 4L and 4R are pivoted by the force exerted by springs 6L and 6R, and rollers 1L and 1R are pressed against the surface of the page therebelow. In this state, rollers 1L and 1R are rotated by the motor (not shown) and draw the edge of the page toward the center (spine) of the passbook where the pages are bound together. As rollers 1L and 1R are rotated further, the page is lifted until it rests on rollers 1L and 1R, so that thereafter, to turn the page over, the passbook need only be moved in the direction indicated by an arrow (b). In this fashion, the turning of a page is completed.
Passbook sizes are standardized in Japan; however, in other countries the sizes (especially the widths) of passbooks are not always standardized, and passbooks of various sizes, within a range, for example, of 120 mm to 180 mm, must be handled by individual financial facilities.
In order to turn the pages of passbooks having various sizes, it is preferable that in each instance rollers 1L and 1R be symmetrically located relative to the center of a passbook. If rollers 1L and 1R are offset to either side of the center of the passbook, the distance a page is rolled up at one end may differ from the distance it is rolled up at the other end, so that the page will not be rolled up evenly and it will either not be turned over or it will be folded.
However, for the manufacturer of passbook updating machines and automatic teller machines, the sizes of passbooks employed by users are not always available before factory production is begun, thus making it impossible to position rollers 1L and 1R in consonance with the sizes of such passbooks.
Therefore, when a machine is delivered to a financial facility, representatives of the delivery service or of the user must set up the machine in accordance with the sizes of the passbook that is used by the facility. This, however, can be a troublesome operation.
To resolve these and related technical problems, it is one object of the present invention to provide a page-turning device for which settings can be easily and exactly changed in accordance with the width of a passbook that is used and with which, thereafter, the turning of passbook pages can precisely be performed.
It is another object of the invention to provide a passbook printer which includes as part thereof a page-turning device as taught herein.
It is yet another object of the invention to provide a method for adjusting settings on a passbook page-turning device.
According to one aspect of the present invention, a page-turning device is provided for turning a page of a multi-leaved medium including a plurality of bound pages, the device comprising a multi-leaved medium feeding mechanism for feeding and halting the multi-leaved medium in an open state, a plurality of rollers, which are positioned opposite the surface of a page of the multi-leaved medium and are rotated by a drive source, and a pressing member, for pressing the plurality of rollers against the surface of the page, and for adjusting the pressing force applied by at least one of the rollers.
According to another aspect of the present invention, a passbook printer is provided for printing transaction information on at least one page of a passbook having multiple pages, the printer comprising a printing mechanism for printing the transaction information on a specific page of the passbook, a passbook feed mechanism for feeding of the passbook toward or away from the print mechanism, and a page-turning device for turning the page of the passbook, wherein the page-turning device includes a plurality of rollers positioned opposite the surface of the page of the passbook in the open state for rotating and turning the page. This device is capable of moving in the width direction of the passbook while a pressing member adjusts the roller pressure to thus compensate for differing width passbooks.
Furthermore, according to the present invention, a method is provided for adjusting the setting of a page-turning device, wherein pressing force is applied by a pair of rollers to a page of a multi-leaved medium including multiple bound pages The page is rolled up toward the bound portion of the multi-leaved medium as the rollers are rotated, and a multi-leaved medium feeding mechanism moves the multi-leaved medium forward or rearward along the surface of the page-turning device so that the page is turned. The method further comprising the steps of determining whether values set for pressing forces exerted by the rollers match the width of the multi-leaved medium, and changing the pressing force, in accordance with the width of the multi-leaved medium, exerted by one of the rollers while maintaining the pressing force exerted by the other roller when the values set for the pressing force do not match the width of the multi-leaved medium.